Foundation garments, especially bras, are the foundation of any wardrobe, so check out A Slip Of A Girl‘s contest where she’s giving away five signed copies of bra fit expert Ali Cudby‘s book. You know Barbara Stanwyck was a believer in finding a proper bra fit!

I’m super excited to bring you this next contest! Everyone wants to be a flapper, dress like a flapper, and one of the most iconic and practical staples of roaring 20’s fashions is the teddy: And all-in-one cami and panty lingerie piece which works well beneath suits by day and even better under the covers by night *wink*

Grace Bradley Wearing A Teddy & Decorating The Tree

But because flapper fashions were made for young women, such pretty things were built on a rather straight and narrow design, making finding an authentic roaring 20’s flapper teddy in a size to fit an average woman today difficult. And if you’ve got curves (be it just a bountiful bustline or are an all-over Rubenesque, full-figured BBW) you’ll find yourself saying — in your best Italian accent — “Forget about it!”

However the folks at Hips & Curves let all curvy women live the dream with their vintage styled teddy:

Reminiscent of the 20’s this vintage style teddy has a beautiful V front with 2 rows of lace at the top and matching lace detail around the leg. This charmeuse teddy is available in sizes 1x – 4x with a tie back and snap crotch for a good fit. The beautiful quality of this garment makes it an excellent value and something you will treasure time and again.

Plus Size Vintage Style Teddy Lingerie Set From Hips & Curves

Check out the size chart; see how well these will work for the bigger busted ladies as well as the full-figured?

Hips & Curves Size Chart: 1X though 4X

(Note: Hips & Curves carries sizes larger than 6X; but the teddy is only available, as listed, in sizes 1X – 4 X, so I’m only showing those measurements from their size chart.)

SOTHYS Aroma-Sothys Energizing Essential Oils Elixir
Magical, this very concentrated dry oil is an invitation to happiness: when massaged, it restores tonus and felicity… the skin is divinely satiny and full of energizing active ingredients. Price: $29

To enter, post a comment — preferably with any ski care tips for those of us who don’t win *wink*

Contest is open to all in the US and Canada. Entries must be made before midnight (Central Time), December 14th, 2009.

Few things are worse for footwear than the salt — those white salt marks aren’t only ugly, they eat the leather away, drying it, cracking it, and damaging it. But it’s not only the salt put down to de-ice winter sidewalks and roadways that’s the problem. Rex Streno, owner of Ullrich’s Shoe Repair, explains:

Salt doesn’t come from the road. Salt comes from the leather itself. The leather is tanned with salt. When it gets soaking wet, the salt rises to the top of the shoe. That’s how you get the salt stains. The salt is in the lining, and it’s in the leather.

(In that article, Streno gives general tips for shoe care and repair — but again I remind you to please consult a shoe repair person experienced in vintage shoes before you agree to any services.)

Because tanning methods, ancient and modern, used salt, it’s likely your vintage leather shoes were tanned with salt. And ‘weather’ or not you fear winter’s salt or the salt already in your shoes which will be brought out from snow (or rain) — or if your town uses sand for traction rather than salt to melt away ice, your vintage shoes and boots are also at risk as sand grinds it’s way into soles, seams, and uppers — it is time to think about how to protect your shoes.

The best way to protect your footwear is to not wear it outside and tempt the fates and weather systems. Slip off those vintage darlings and slip your feet into some cold weather boots. Not only will you avoid salt damages to your shoes and keep your tootsies warm, but you’ll avoid slipping on wet and/or icy pavement, which puts your safety at risk and increases the potential to damage vintage shoes with scuffs, tears, broken heels, etc.

I know we fashionistas tend to resist real cold weather boots (I myself bought only fancy leather boots with heels for years), but the best way to save our pretty babies is to wear those less than fancy boots. And since modern made boots can be more properly prepared to brave the elements, restored or even replaced when problems occur, it only makes sense to wear them not only in bad weather but in seasons where bad weather is more likely — or just left around on the ground, ready to trip you up.

I have nothing like it, but I have pinned rhinestone necklaces into my hair every now and then… Mostly for holiday parties, but not exclusively so.

To enter, you’re supposed to go to marieclaire.com/freeforyou — but that page is still featuring November’s giveaways — so you’ll have to wait a bit, yet, to enter. (Doesn’t mean you can’t enter the other ones while you wait!) If you’re impatient, just go buy these pretty hair accessories now — my guess is they’ll be plenty picked over by holiday.